Alex Trebek Debuts the Most Controversial Jeopardy! Decision in Years

If the last few decades have taught us anything, it’s that people have really strong feelings about Jeopardy. Whether it’s controversial contestants, nitpicky rulings, or bad clues, viewers love to voice their opinions on just about every facet of the show—including its host, Alex Trebek, who on Monday unveiled perhaps the most debate-inducing change to the show in years: his new beard.

Over the weekend, the trivia competition posted a teaser in which Trebek showed off a full crop of face fur. Like Stephen Colbert, who returned from The Late Show’s summer hiatus with a beard, it appears Trebek has decided to kick off the autumnal season with a little something to keep his chin warm. It’s hard to blame fans who were shocked by the change—especially those who have only been tuning in since the 2000s, when Trebek shaved off what used to be a lush trademark mustache. (That would be why when Will Ferrell famously played the Canadian host on Saturday Night Live, he, too, sported some hair on his upper lip.) Trebek brought back the ’stache briefly in 2014, but that only lasted about a month—so for modern viewers, the sight of a facial-hair-wearing Trebek came as a bit of a shock.

Naturally, opinions vary on whether facial hair has improved Trebek’s appearance. Some fans are very into the Tre-beard, while others want him to return to his traditional baby face as soon as possible. Jeopardy! itself, for the record, has seemed keenly aware from the start that its newest follicular star would quickly become a lightning rod—and it’s been making hay of the chatter on social media. For instance, the show’s Twitter account has a helpful side-by-side to remind viewers of the stakes at hand. There’s also a poll in which viewers can vote on which Trebek they prefer.

But one thing remains to be seen: is Trebek’s new beard a passing phase—like that month he brought his mustache back? Or are we looking at a permanent update? That, it would seem, is the million-dollar answer (phrased in the form of a question).